50 Social Media and Networking Sites for the Medically Minded

July 30th, 2008

Social media and online networking has been a popular way for college students to connect and for people to meet up according to professional and personal preferences. Now, as part of a growing health 2.0 phenomenon, medical professionals are creating their own forums and sites to network online. Check out 50 of them here.

Nurses

Nurses can connect in the virtual world on these sites, which promise social networking and professional networking.

NurseGroups.com: Get a free membership with this site for social networking, professional networking and blogging.

NurseLinkUp: As "The Nurse Social Network," this community features news stories and studies as well as a place for nurses to connect online.

TravelNursingBlogs: Read blog posts or start your own blog on this site to share stories and learn about travel nursing.

Nurse’s Cafe: Nurse’s Cafe is a social networking site that’s still in beta form. Use the site to link up with other medical professionals in your area or specialty, or who share similar interests and hobbies.

NursingDiscussions.com: Read articles, learn about education opportunities, check out nursing blogs and visit the forum on this site for nurses.

MyNurseBook: Nurses around the world interested in recruiting nurses and bettering public health policies network on this site.

Students

Medical students and nursing students can rant together about heavy course loads, pick alumni’s brain about finding residencies and internship opportunities and get support from their own niche groups here.

The Student Doctor Network: Check out the forums, research publications, and join a community based on your program to network on this site.

Latino Medical Student Association: Get scholarship information, network with alumni and other students, and learn about research and training opportunities through the LMSA.

National ICAM Student Network: Here you’ll find resources and networking opportunities through the National Integrative/Complementary and Alternative Medicine Network.

American Medical Student Association: Get medical student news, learn about residencies and other training opportunities, and become a part of the greater medical student community.

American Medical Association: Check in with the official site for the AMA as a quick way to get updates on health care policy and practice, as well as special events and ways to connect with other members.

American Dental Association: Dental professionals can use this site to learn about education programs and licensure, access a library, look up other members of the ADA and more.

World Medical Association: The WMA aims to bring together doctors and medical associations from around the world to discuss health care policies, technology, benefits, advocacy and more.

Researchers

For support, peer editing services and tips for applying for grants, medical researchers can benefit from these sites.

MDLinx: Become a part of this community, and you’ll receive updated journal articles and research findings in your specialty in your inbox regularly.

PLoS Medicine: Join the network of researchers and physicians who peer review articles on this open access site.

Medical Research Council: The MRC is a UK-based research group that provides information and support about fellowships and jobs, applying for grants, events and more.

AAMC Job Board: The job board for the Association of American Medical Colleges gives employers, hospitals and medical professionals the chance to meet online and network.

MedHunters.com: This site has over 16,000 jobs for those in the medical industry, including allied health and nursing.

Medzilla: Log in here to get in touch with employers and recruiters and access job search resources.

MedicalWorkers.com: At MedicalWorkers.com, you can find a job or post a job to link up with other health care professionals.

Advocacy

For getting together with other health advocacy groups and individuals, try out these networking sites.

WegoHealth: This community lets members have their own page, join groups, learn about events and talk about health and medical advocacy.

Cancer Action Network: Visit this site to learn about current campaigns and volunteer projects in your area. The site also offers a member log-in to manage your profile and meet others.

Connecting with Patients

When you want to connect with your patients, register at one of these social media and networking sites to share your knowledge, offer support, or just find out what it’s really like to be terminally ill.

PatientsLikeMe: This social networking group aims to connect patients with similar diseases, symptoms and health problems. Check in on your patients or learn about the social aspect of having bipolar disorder, ALS, Parkinson’s and more.

Diabetes Mine: This site is "a gold mine of straight talk and encouragement for people living with diabetes." Doctors can also benefit from reading the personal stories from physicians and patients.

OrganizedWisdom: This "human-powered health search" tool aims to connect patients with doctors, other patients, health care options and information that can help them. Doctors and specialists can apply to be a guide or on the Physician Review Board, which makes sure the information on the site is authoritative.

Revolution Health Community: Patients and those in the health care industry connect on forums, blogs and profiles to discuss drugs and medicine, symptoms, and a lot more.

Starbright World: This is a social network just for teens who are chronically ill. Members can create profiles, start a blog and meet other ill teens online.

Miscellaneous

From the Mayo Clinic’s Facebook page to entrepreneurial nurses, these social networking sites are for all kinds of medically minded people.

Mayo Clinic Fan Page: If you’re on Facebook, link up with the Mayo Clinic’s Facebook page to meet other medically minded individuals.

Medicine Online: Physicians and dentists can become a part of this online community to learn about upcoming conferences, access career resources and more.

Trusted.MD: Start your own blog and read other blogs from medical professionals and patients on this network.

Nurse Entrepreneur Network: Nurses looking to go into business for themselves will get benefits like coaching, financial resources, support and more.